Margaret
The mysterious “relic” that we learned of from the bandits’ records should be around here somewhere.Anderson
The more I think about this relic, and the more we learn about it, the less I really want to find it.
This planet is just full of un-freaking-pleasant surprises!
First we were welcomed by a beam of boiling plasma, and then instead of a green paradise we ended up a giant-spider-filled hell. And then…Commander
Anderson, enough grumbling. We still have no idea what’s going on. What if this mysterious relic helps us find out the truth?

Commander
Aha, the relic is being guarded like Fort Knox. This gets more and more interesting…

Guard
Warning! Enemy movement from the west!“Viper”
From the west? What the hell?! How did they manage to come up behind us?!Guard
Hell if I know! There’s something strange about them. They don’t look like cultists, but I can’t say what they are!Demolisher
I’d bet my eye teeth that they’re cultists, just in disguise. Who besides the arachnoids would march to certain death?! They’re up to something, the crazy freaks!“Viper”
Up to, say, double envelopment or a feint attack?! Who knows what’s up their sleeve?! Let’s redouble our vigilance! Fill with lead anyone who approaches the relic!

Margaret
The bandits took us for some cultists. Shall we talk to them and explain that we couldn’t care less for this relic – being atheists with a scientific worldview that we are?Schroeder
Not worth it. We already tried to discuss the situation with the bandits; the last time I almost scored a bullet during the conversation.
Especially because right now they really are under attack: there are fights underway to the west of here. No wonder they’re on edge.
The only strange thing is that the only people my locators are registering there are the bandits themselves. Looks like they are beating back some spider hordes. No hint of cultists…

Executioner
We’ve been caught in a pincer movement! The blasted psychos are getting to the relic!“Viper”
No worries, I still have three magazines left, and then reinforcements might show up!

Margaret
What a huge thing! Is that the relic?Anderson
Whoa. I know what this is…
This is one of the alien terraformers that were discovered on Utopia by the first colonists. These things created a real Eden-like climate here.

Commander
Are you sure, Anderson?Anderson
One hundred percent sure, Commander! I got a good look at them in the engineering corps. We studied them inside out in order to adopt the terraforming technology. I was among the first who looked inside a thing like this.Commander
If this is really a terraformer, then where is the greenery? The fresh air?Anderson
Quite simply, Commander, it does not work. I think the tsunami put it out of action.Commander
Perhaps the same thing happened with the other terraformers. The tsunami smashed them, resulting in Utopia reverting to its natural environment. If that’s what you can call this nasty desert.Margaret
And the planet was so beautiful! You know, after the catastrophe, it wasn’t just the desert that appeared, but all these creatures too… Maybe terraforming protected the planet from them?Elizabeth
Not likely… The creators of such sophisticated technology as terramorphing, whoever they were, were so advanced that they could easily get rid of spiders and any other such threats.
Well, even I, if not for the destruction of our MORORSE, could have solved most of our problems.Commander
And so we’ve determined that this is a broken terraformer. But why did the cultists bust it up? I’d like to talk to at least one of them…
Schroeder, you still don’t see people among the attacks underway in the west?Schroeder
The attacks continue, Commander, but I still see only spiders. What’s interesting is that so many of these creatures have come together in one place…

Brother Lucius
You have strayed! Come to your senses! Accept the truth and rejoice, because Xi is near! Lay down your arms, humble yourself. Soon Xi will be one with you, and you will be one with Xi!Commander
I’m sorry, but I’m not ready for such a serious relationship…Brother Lucius
Darkness cometh, the unification shall be complete, and Xi will reveal to us a new world!Commander
Save your sermons for your own kind. Better still, explain what the hell you need these ruins for. Why did you destroy a broken terraformer?Brother Lucius
Defilers will be destroyed! DESTROYED! DESTROYED! DESTROYED!Commander
Damned nut jobs!

Margaret
Commander, I’ve searched the wacko and found a note on him. A bunch of gibberish, for most part – but it does mention a cultists’ shrine among other things.Commander
Does the description provide information about the shrine’s location?Margaret
I think so. I’ve already looked it up on the map. It is supposed to be in the swamps. It’s not too far from here.Commander
We should check it out. The cultists’ attacks on these ancients relics bother me, I think it’s best we investigate the matter.

Elizabeth
After our trek to the relic, we have, it seems, more questions than ever…
But we found a new deposit of iron ore and now we can build another mine.